What is in a Bushwacker Cocktail? We Have the Answer!

There’s nothing quite like sitting down on the shores of a sandy sprawling beach, lounging back in your chair, letting the sun sink into your pores, and slurping a delicious tropical drink. Ultimate relaxation awaits on St. John in the form of the popular and potent Bushwacker Cocktail. Learn the recipe, find out where to get one on St. John, and indulge in this refreshing, icy cold blender drink during your island paradise vacation.

History of the Bushwacker Cocktail

The Bushwacker drink origin is actually the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Bushwacker Cocktail was first invented and sold in 1975 at The Ship’s Store & Sapphire Pub on St. Thomas. The creator of this delectable concoction was Angie Conigliaro, a cousin of Tony Conigliaro of the Boston Red Sox, with some help from restaurant manager Tom Brokamp. The joint effort turned yummy drink was named after a visiting guest’s dog, Bushwack. During that same year, the recipe made its way to Pensacola, Florida’s Sandshaker Lounge through the owner, Linda Murphy, who experimented with the recipe to place her personal touch on it. From there, this chocolate cousin of the pina colada has become not only a Virgin Islands favorite but a beach classic.

How to Make a Bushwacker Cocktail

The Bushwacker Cocktail is fairly simple to prepare, though not as basic as a Cruzan Rum and coke. Before learning the Bushwacker drink recipe, you will need to gather the Bushwacker drink ingredients. There are two different recipes, one for Pensacola and one for the Virgin Islands.

Virgin Islands Bushwacker Cocktail Ingredients

½ oz. Vodka

½ oz. Bailey’s Irish Cream

½ oz. Cruzan Coconut Rum

½ oz. Kahlua

½ oz. Amaretto

½ oz. Cruzan Dark Rum

¾ cup Crushed Ice

Pensacola Bushwacker Cocktail Ingredients

1 oz. Dark Rum

1 oz. Kahlua

1 oz. Dark Creme de Cacao

2 oz. Cream of Coconut

2 oz. Milk

1 cup Ice

Instructions

After gathering the necessary ingredients to make your Bushwacker Cocktail, you will need to blend all of them together in a blender (including the ice). After this step, pour the mix into a tall glass drizzled with chocolate syrup around the inside edges, put a maraschino cherry on top as the traditional garnish, and then serve straight up! As an extra treat, you can add whipped cream on top. If you want to make a virgin Bushwacker Cocktail, just blend chocolate milk and ice and make a simple milkshake!

Where to Get a Bushwacker Cocktail

At almost any bar on St. John, you will find the Bushwacker Cocktail at the top of the drink list! This popular “adult milkshake” is an island favorite for locals and tourists alike. Here are just a few locations on St. John where you can relax and enjoy thisdelicious cocktail:

Ultimate Indulgence

With so many beachfronts and beach bars to enjoy your adult beverages, you can consume a multitude of Bushwackers during your stay in the Virgin Islands. Just be careful as this potent concoction will ‘sneak up on you’ after two! If you aren’t quite feeling like going out for drinks, concoct a Bushwacker Cocktail in the blender at your CimmaronStJohn vacation home kitchen and sip your treat on your private deck while enjoying incredible ocean views!